The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-16
Company. The capital stock 10 IS 000 and the
directors are James McNeill. James f. Hatfield
John Hull. George Mcaagearr and Silas O. Lee
DispeIl.nr Na.nr.l-Gas Delusion..


TO the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal
It seems that much that has been said on the
question of supplying natural gas to the city is
entirely superfiuous not to say ridiculous
Many persons seem to be laboring under the de-
fusion that the price of natural gas can be fixed
by legislation. They seem to have lost sight Of
the fact that il natural gas is found in large
quantities in this vicinity, the price will be low;
and if not. it will be high, just in proportion as
the demand is greater than the supply The
l aw of supply and demand will in the end inev-
itably govern the price OF gas, the same as it
does that of any other commodity no matter
what artificial restrictions may be sought to be-
put upon it. The sooner get rid of the idea
of nd-heartedness. or benevolence connected
with this matter, and acknowledge that it is
nothing more nor less than mere matter of
cold, unfeeling business, the better it will be for
the city.
Now, the News has been the most violent op-
ponent of an unrestricted ordinance as regards
prices to be charged for gas. It to me
that its arguments against an unrestricted ordi.
nance are notsound, but as they have misled
some of our citizens well as members OF the
Council, shall try and make it clear to anyone
vino has not been carried so far away by the cry
of monopoly. octopus" etc, that it is impos-
BILE for them to listen to reason. There is no
use in addressing those who are interested in
keeping up the present mastery policy of mac
ton, as no arguments will convince men If they
think their pecuniary interests will sutfe there
by. On this question the News wishes to be I'M
derstood as being the 'poor mans friend" 1t
may sincerely think ESQ much the worse for its
degree of intelligence) that it is favoring the
poor men of the city by its present course but
think it can 5e shown that instead of being on
L. ro1x~ I'll
the interests of the home company. it is beyond
question the side or the rich
and opulent citizens. What reason does the
News give for wanting the price OF gas hxed In
the ordinance? If | understand its position, 1t
claims that because the city permits a company
to lay its mains and pipes into and through the
streets and alleys of the city, for that reason
price ought to be fixed at which gas shall be
sold. This kind of legislation is favorng enc
class at the of another. All the citi-
zens. without distinction as to wealth or social
standing, have a right of easement in the streets
of the city. The streets have been dedicated to
the of the public, and the city holds them
in trust for the citizens But all OF the citizens
could not be supplied with natural gas for q
long time, at least. and perhaps not at ALL
Therefore, even If a company should come into
the city under an ordinance hiking the
price of gas as low as the present
ordinance does, those who are first supplied with
natural gas 1.-THE lower the price the more adSan-
tageous will be the preference will be benefited
the expense of those who may never get to
use it, or who may be compelled wait for
years before they be supplied. In other
worjs, it is reasonable to suppose that any COM
panv piping gas into this city will at first supply
those who will be the largest consumers l
would like to know how it would benefit cit-
zen living In the southwestern part OF the city
that citizen living on North Meridian street
gets his fuel at 90 per cent OF the cost OF coalf
Yet the former citizen may be paying more
taxes than the latter To soy that coal will be
so much cheaper is merely An assumption, and
counts for nothing
The only Just and equitable method of regular-
ing this business is to charge every company
reasonable amount for the privilege of laying it's
mains and pipes into and through the streets OF
the city The city ought to see to 1t that 1t gets
pay for these privileges, and any legislation
looking to the protection of citizens as respects
prices smacks too much of the paternal style of
government. The citizens are able to take caro-
of themselves, and any attempts by the city to
make contracts for them is an imposition upon
their rights By making the companies pay for
these privileges, and in no other way, can 1t Dc
said that the citizens. irrespective or wealth or
social standing. will reap the advantages from
gas being piped TO the city. True enough, the
consumers in the end will have to pay this tax.
but they are the ones who ought to pay it, for
they get all the benefits, if there are any, in the
of natural gas.
To Judge by the silly twaddle in the News
about the STANFORD OIL Company. or the 'oc-
topus," it is pleased to call It, that companyis
trying by all manner of ways to get an entrance
into the city in order to have chance of rob-
bling our citizens. The Standard Oil Company
has been open and above board in everything it
has asked for and any insnuation that it has
been trying to buildoze the city is the rankess
interests of the citizens. as 1t vainly supposes.
has been crying monopoly" so loud and long
that it is almost OF breath. and it's antics
are becoming more than disgusting. The city
as a city should receive return for the privi-
leges granted and that is the only just and
equitable way Of projecting g the citizens.
necessary let all citizens have the benefit of it.
regardless of wealth other matters.
If and n each pay taxes on sOoo sun
that he would only $40 worth of gas per
year, while for the same period would use
800 worth If natural gas is an ad vantage TO
the citizens, will derive ten times the
advantage that A would, although he does not
pay one cent more of taxes than does.
I'M pipe this city with natural gas after hav-
ing invested its money here. would find it to it's
interest to have as many customers as possible.
To sell its gas 1T will be necessary to make 1t so
cheap that there will be considerable advantage .
in using it instead of wood or COAL If. after any
company has piped the city. it will not sell gas
at such prices as the citizens think reasonable,
instead of the company having the ciLIzens at its
mercy, the advantages will all be on the SIDE OF
the citizens. No citizen is obliged to buy gas.
and no company can compel them to be consum-
ers The Same thing may be said as to manu-
facturers. They will not gas unless it will
be sold to them at such prices that it will be to
their advantage. No company will furnish gas
to manufacturers at less price than cost
Under open ordinance allowing every body to
come in. there will be sufficient competition to
keep the price of gas as low as it can be sold
How is unrestricted ordinance as TO prices
going to hurt the home company or any other
company il they can sell gas at the prices fixed
in the present ordinance2 Does not common
sense tell Us that if the home company means
business, and can sell its gas lif IL ever gets
enough in sufficient quantities to pipel at tie
prices fixed in the present ordinance, that any
other company coming in under an unrestricted
ordinance will have do the same else do
business2 The standard Oil Company, as I'M
derstand it. asks for exclusive right to the
use of the streets. All it asks is to be allowed
to come into the city and furnish gas at prices
which it thinks reasonable and just. under an
ordinance which is practically unlimited as to
prices be charged
Theduty of the City Council is plain. It should
Immediately pass ordinance granting the
right any and all companies to come into the
city and supply Us with natural gas. 1t should
require all companies to give bond to leave the
streets in as good condition they were before